1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nozzle structure of a repair apparatus for a semiconductor package, and more particularly to an improved nozzle structure of a repair apparatus for a semiconductor package, wherein the flow of a hot air output from the repair apparatus is induced toward solder joints provided beneath the bottom surface of a bottom lead semiconductor package, thereby effectively melting the solder joints that connect the semiconductor package to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a semiconductor package is mounted on a printed circuit board by solder joints. When the semiconductor package is or becomes defective, it must be detached and removed from the printed circuit board using a repair nozzle connected to a repair apparatus.
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a conventional repair nozzle 10, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in FIG. 1. As shown therein, the repair nozzle 10 includes: a funnel holder 11 connected to a repair apparatus (not shown) that generates and provides hot air; a cylinder 13 extending downwardly from the holder 11; a vacuum tube 15 positioned along the axis of the cylinder 13; and a vacuum absorption body 17 fixed in a lower portion of the cylinder 13. A plurality of air vents 19 are formed in and along the sides of the vacuum absorption body 17.
With reference to FIG. 3, the operation of the conventional repair nozzle 10 will now be described.
First, the funnel holder 11 of the repair nozzle 10 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to a hot air outlet (not shown) of the repair apparatus (not shown), and the vacuum absorption body 17 can be placed on the surface of a QFP (Quad Flat Package) 25 mounted on a printed circuit board 20. The hot air generated from the repair apparatus (not shown) is supplied through the funnel holder 11 into the cylinder 13, and guided through the air vents 19 formed in and along the sides of the vacuum absorption body 17, melting target solder joints 27 connecting the QFP 25 and the printed circuit board 20. The hot air that melted the solder joints 27 is externally discharged.
When the solder joints 27 are completely melted, the vacuum absorption body 17 is closely adhered to the upper surface of the package 25. That is, after hot air is sucked in through the vacuum tube 15 to tightly absorb the package 25, the repair nozzle 10 is moved upward. Accordingly, the package 25 becomes detached from the printed circuit board 20. The hot air flow is illustrated by arrows (.fwdarw.) in FIG. 3.
The thusly operated conventional repair nozzle 10 is advantageous when used to detach a semiconductor package from a printed circuit board, wherein its outer leads are externally protruded extending from the sides of he package body, as witnessed in SOP (Small Out-Line Package), SOJ (Small Out-Line J-Leaded Package), QFP (Quad Flat Package), and the like.
However, because of the nozzle structure, the conventional repair nozzle is less capable of detaching a semiconductor package having outer leads that are formed extending from the package bottom from a printed circuit board. That is, when a BLP (Bottom Lead Plastic) package is mounted on a printed circuit board, it has been difficult to appropriately melt the concealed solder joints by use of the conventional repair nozzle, which induces the hot air to only flow along the sides of the package because its solder joints are concealed underneath the package body.